DAVAO CITY – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday cited the vital role of the communication and information officers in bridging traditional ways to the digital age of the government’s transition with the campaign of the Duterte administration to rid corruption, illegal drugs and criminality.
In his video message at the final day of the three-day National Information Convention (NIC) in Davao City, Cayetano pointed out the instrumental role of the government communicators in leading their agencies to adjust to the use of various digital tools in government transactions and activities.
Cayetano stressed government communicators are essential in the digital age given the abundance of information nowadays — may it be fake news, propaganda with some vested political, economic interest or distortions.
But he said it is important for communicators to look at the stream of information and make sure the people get the right information.
“But remember many agencies are still adjusting like teenagers, to the digital age transactions,” he added.
He said many people are still carrying cash while others use cellular phones or cards for transactions. “All these play in a digital economy where communication is fast and simultaneous,” he said.
Cayetano noted though that in digital age, communication has become a two-way or sometimes multiple ways whereby people can send feedbacks, suggestions, and express frustrations.
This is where government communicators can play to help one part of the government transition, he said.
He said it is also important for government communicators to ask if they could help President Rodrigo Duterte fulfill his commitment and promises to the people
“I am confident that with your help and with more activities like this National Information Convention, with the many tools available to us you can empower not only yourself and your agencies but also, you can empower the people to be part of the government, to be part of governance and to be part of the real revolution, of power to the people not to the few, not the elite but to law the respected by all,” Cayetano said.
He lauded the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Philippine Information Agency for coming up with the NIC because information is essential.
Cayetano emphasized that lack of information would lead to many failures. He said many people die or caught up in armed conflicts because of lack of information. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
